Fundamentals of Economics. Доловова Н.Н - 52 стр.

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52
52
The Cost of Living
They say that people's standard of living is going up all the time. Well I don't
know about the standard of living, but the cost of living is certainly going up.
Before I even see my salary, the Government takes about 30% of it away in
income tax. Then I have to pay the rent for the apartment, which the landlord's just
put up again. And on top of that there are all the bills for heating, phone and
electricity.
It's no better at the shops, either. The price of food is unbelievably high these
days.
I used to be able to save money, but last year I had to close my savings account,
because there was no money left in it. And it's getting worse: last month I spent my
whole salary in just one week, and I had to ask my manager for a loan to last me till
the end of the month.
It's enough to make you want to jump in front of a train. Only I haven't got any
life insurance. I can't afford it - it's too expensive.
A Waste of Money
A I think things are a waste of money if you buy them simply as a status symbol,
if you buy them to show off or you do something in order to, just to show how much
money you've got to spend. So things can be a waste of money at times, and at other
times they're not a waste of money. So if you go to a very expensive restaurant and
have a very expensive meal just to show everybody that you can afford it, and ‘Look
how rich I am’, then I think that's a waste of money. If you buy a very expensive car
just because you want everybody to say ‘Oh he must be rich’ or ‘She must be rich’
then it's a waste of money. But if you buy, do these things because to you they're
special or because they're a treat, and you don't do it extravagantly, you do it because
you just enjoy it so much, then I think that's fine.
B I saw an advertisement for a perfume the other day, and the only words on the
advertisement were ‘The most costly perfume in the world’. Whether it smells
wonderful or not, obviously the most important thing here is either for the man to
give a woman a very expensive present or for the woman to have it seen on her
dressing table. And again it's what you say, it's ostentation, it isn't - I mean, if it
smells wonderful then fine, but if it's simply for the expense and to show off then yes,
it is a waste of money.
Answer the questions
1. What’s the difference between the standard of living and cost of living?
2. Is people's standard of living changing all the time? What about the cost of living?
3. What is the amount of income tax according to the text? What is the amount of
income tax in your country?

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